The 2010 prep baseball season has begun and it promises to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory.

There will be fierce battles in the Moore, San Gabriel Valley and Suburban leagues, with multiple teams in each league race with a shot at a title.

As usual, Wilson and Lakewood are the favorites to win a Moore League crown, but a much-improved Poly team and the defending champion Rams won’t lay down for anyone. Jordan could play spoiler in a very competitive and talented league.

Paramount, Gahr and Downey look very solid and all have a shot at the SGVL title, while Mayfair, La Mirada and Bellflower all look to make a run at the Suburban League’s top spot.

Moore League

Wilson has five returning starters from last year’s squad that is led by senior third baseman Cody Harris, who hit .350 with 24 hits and 18 RBIs despite fighting through nagging injuries all year. Harris will hit third in the lineup and will play next season at the Masters College.

“I think we’re a very good team and are capable of winning a Moore League title and getting deep in the CIF playoffs,” Harris said. “We want to bring Wilson back to area prominence and are excited that our younger guys know what we expect here at Wilson.”

Harris has set goals of getting back to the .400 mark and driving in a lot of runs, as well as coming out of the bullpen.

Senior lefty Chris Hubbard will not only pitch, but play first base and the outfield.

Hubbard, will likely be in the clean up spot and he hit .301 with 22 hits and drove in 16 runs last season, and will attend Brown University next year.

Sean Buckle and Philip Visico will battle to play center field, with the odd man out likely playing either right or left field.

Up from the junior varsity are the middle-infield combo of junior shortstop Matt Treece and junior second baseman Daniel DeWolf.

Senior Nate Alcafaras will also get time at second base and will help bolster the lineup.

Perhaps the best addition for Wilson is Valley Christian transfer Chase DeJong.

DeJong was the ace of the Long Beach Pony World Series championship team two years ago and the lanky right-hander had a solid freshman year for the Crusaders.

Riley Parker pitched all summer in the No. 1 spot and Poly transfer Keith White could play a supporting role.

“We’re going to be a very physical team that has the capability to do a lot of things well,” Hall said. “I’m looking forward to what could be a very good year, because we’ve got a solid group of returning players with some very talented newcomers and our pitching could be very solid.”

“I am really excited this year, because we have great team chemistry and people don’t expect that much from us,” Yamaguchi said. “I think we’ll battle for a Moore League title and my personal goals are to hit .500 and reach the 50-hit plateau. But, my main concern is to do anything I can to help my team win games.”

The Lancers will feature newcomers that include senior third baseman Hunter Jones, who transferred from Kentucky, junior second baseman Jimmy Gosano, seniors Joey Bernal (left field), Matt Padilla (1B) and freshman shortstop J. P. Crawford who played on the USA U-16 team that won in Ecuador last September.

Nicoles Sanchez, a pitching transfer from Corona Santiago will also be key for Lakewood.

“Pitching is the key spot for us,” Lakewood coach Spud O’Neil said.

“Yamaguchi, Watson, Sanchez and the rest of the staff have to do well in order for us to be successful. Our offense should be good and our defense will be super.”

It seems like Millikan will again play the role of underdog, despite an 11-1 Moore League run last year that ended in not only the league’s top spot, but a 43-inning league scoreless streak by a host of Rams pitchers.

The 6-foot-5 standout went 9-4 with a 1.67 ERA and 75 strikeouts and Frye helped lead the Rams to a deep CIF playoff run.

The reigning Moore League MVP was as dominant as anyone in the area last year and will pitch next season for the Dirtbags.

“I am headed to Long Beach State next year, but I am 100-percent invested in Millikan High baseball and will do everything I can and with my teammates to help us defend our Moore League title,” Frye said. “We love playing the role of underdog and it sounds like we’ll be that again this year. I feel excited, fresh and am hoping to put up even better numbers this year so I help give my team the best chance of winning each time I take the mound.”

Senior third baseman-pitcher Matt Clampitt won’t sneak up on anybody like he did last year and is a reigning member of the Press-Telegram’s Dream Team.

Clampitt hit .459 with 39 hits and 19 RBIs and also went 3-1 on the mound with a 1.62 ERA.

Paul Slater will spend time in both the infield and outfield and he is coming off a junior year that saw him hit .328 with 21 hits.

Adam Annella was clutch off the bench last year, but the senior (.286, 12 hits) will not only be a regular in the Rams lineup, but he’ll also be fighting for the No. 2 spot in the rotation.

If Millikan is to repeat as champions, junior shortstop Jack Woodbury and junior second baseman Avery Flores will need to adjust to the varsity level right away.

Sophomore Jordan Ybarra is someone Millikan coach and reigning Dream Team Coach of the Year Scott Glasser feels can make the jump to varsity and take a spot in the middle of the lineup.

Poly junior third baseman Thomas Walker will lead a young, but dangerous Jackrabbits’ squad that coach Toby Hess has been grooming for two years.

Poly surprised many by finishing second last year and the experience gained from an up-and-down ’09 season could make the Jackrabbits a major contender.

A huge key to success will focus on a Poly offense that struggled much of last season.

Walker is a classy and charismatic junior, who hit .263 last year and was a key member of the Long Beach Pony World Series team two years ago.

“I believe we’re going to be the Moore League champions and the reason for that is because we’ve improved greatly offensively, defensively and gained a lot of experience from last year,” Walker said. “We do have a young team, but we learned so much and have grown together. It will be my role as a captain to play at my highest level possible and I hope to lead our team to a title, but the Moore League is always a battle.”

“We’re going to rely on great pitching and great defense, and we’ll need big year’s from pitchers Tyler Maxwell and Jordan Wilcox,” Hess said. “I am very happy with the chemistry and work ethic that this young team displays, so I am not going to make any predictions, but we should be in every game we play.”

Jordan will be led by senior shortstop Robby Hurtado and will need to improve drastically over last year’s team that at times resembled the Bad News Bears.

Jordan was atrocious defensively last season, but coach Marc Prager says the Panthers are much improved despite the loss of ace Marcos Lara.

Hurtado hit .280 with 21 hits from the leadoff spot and will serve as the Panthers catalyst.

“Robby is our captain and our leader and is someone who leads by example both on and off the field,” Prager said. “He comes out every day to practice and never gives less than 100-percent and loves the game of baseball.”

Senior center fielder Eric Hernandez is also key if the Panthers are to surprise people and earn a playoff spot.

Hernandez (.246, 14 hits) is expected to put up big numbers and is the Panthers most fundamentally-sound hitter.

Senior catcher Richard Gallegos will handle the Panthers staff and is someone Prager says has “incredible heart and a never-say-die attitude.”

Junior Rodger Hokanson is Jordan’s No. 1 starter, but sat out all last year due to injury.

Senior pitchers David Aispuro and Jaime Reyes will fill out Jordan’s starting rotation.

Freshman first baseman Phillip Berman will be an unknown to start the season, but could play a huge role in the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

“We feel like we’re going to be in every game, because our pitching and defense is solid and much improved,” Prager said. “I feel strongly that we’ll be in the mix for a playoff berth if we’re able to continue improving.”

Sophomore Louis Terrazas (infield-pitcher) will lead a Cabrillo team that keeps getting closer to being a factor in the Moore League under the leadership of coach Erick Bryant.

Terrazas hit .314 with 16 hits as a freshman, and lead Cabrillo with 17 runs scored.

Sophomore second baseman Wesley Madera led the Jaguars with a .370 average, 20 hits and 12 RBIs and should be even stronger this season.

Senior pitchers Ramiro Rosalez and Martin Agredano will be key if Cabrillo can break the log jam for one of the four Moore League playoff spots.

The Jaguars averaged less than three runs per game last year and had a team ERA of 5.38.

“Our strength is our speed and if we can get a 1-2 punch from Rosalez and Agredano, we’ll make the playoffs this year.”

Compton enters the season with very low expectations and that’s exactly the way coach Brian Reed wants it.

Compton will be led by freshman pitcher-catcher Alvaro Perez and from North Carolina senior transfer Mike Joyner.

The rest of the Tarbabes lineup is yet to be decided, but Reed likes what he see’s from both the freshman and senior.

“Alvaro has a very hot arm with great velocity, but we need to work with him on his mechanics,” Reed said. “He’s capable of being very special and we look forward to watching him grow over the next four years.”

Joyner was part of a state championship team last year in North Carolina and brings a well-rounded game to Compton.

“He’s a switch hitter with great speed on the bases and his leadership and competitive manner is something we’ve been lacking here and I look to him to help the coaches and I mold this young team,” Reed said.

San Gabriel Valley League

Paramount has set the pace for the SGVL, winning at least a share of the last three league crowns.

This year should be no different with several returning starters and a torrid summer that gives Paramount coach Cameron Chinn a reason to believe the Pirates could four-peat this season.

Senior shortstop Mark Silva, junior catcher Jaime Valle, and pitchers Jessie Miranda and Jose Lopez will all be key if the Pirates are to hold off Gahr and Downey.

Miranda will need to step up after the graduation of two-time Dream Team and current Long Beach State pitcher Eddie Magallon.

“This could be a big year for us if we get consistent performances from Miranda as we did last year, along with the emergence of a very talented pitcher in Lopez and quality stuff from our relievers Sanchez and Ozzie Magallon,” Chinn said. “I think we will be very tough to beat. Our pitching coupled with another solid defensive group should keep us in every game.”

Paramount is also expected to be much more productive offensively, making the Pirates and even better team than last year.

Gahr returns arguably the best offensive lineup in the area and should contend with Paramount and Downey for the league’s top spot.

UCLA-bound Brenton Allen will headline a stacked lineup after a year where Allen had a .392 average with 16 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.

Senior outfielder Michael Lugo had a monster junior year, hitting .457 with six home runs and 41 RBIs.

The SGVL MVP, senior right-hander Sonny Burgueno (8-3, 2.93 ERA and 56 strikeouts) will continue his role as the Gladiators ace and has the capability to be one of the area’s top four pitchers.

Junior pitchers Charles Cantrell, Jacob Faria and Darian Dominguez will all get major innings this year.

“We have a very good team with an outstanding offense and ace on the mound, and I think even if we had a slow start, we’ll be dangerous by the time playoffs come around,” Perez said. “We’re playing a very tough schedule to prepare us for CIF and also have two of the best (Paramount, Downey) programs in our league, so we’ll be battle tested.”

The reigning SGVL co-champs lost last year’s Press-Telegram Dream Team Player of the Year Chris Munoz, outfielders Ivory Thomas and Michael Mazzara and pitcher Jesse Silva, but Downey will be in contention again this year.

Senior pitcher Jeremy Ruiz (7-1, 2.37 ERA) was an all-SGVL first-team member and will be Downey’s ace.

Senior shortstop Alex Jimenez hit .413 last year and senior first baseman Anthony Roller hit .462 with five home runs in just 39 at bats.

“We’re going to be a different team this year, because we won’t be able to rely on our offense as much as we did last year,” Gonzalez said. “We only have one pitcher (Ruiz) with varsity experience, so we’ll need to see who steps up for us.”

Warren will likely finish fourth, while Lynwood and Dominguez will fight to stay out of the league’s basement.

Suburban League

Senior right-hander Daniel Poncedeleon (5-3, 2.33 ERA) will lead perennial league champion La Mirada in what coach Kim Brooks hopes is their typical stranglehold on their league.

The return of Cesar Chavez, who transferred back to Mayfair from Texas could also be key.

“Our strength this year is without a doubt our pitching,” McCurdy said. “We return our top four pitchers (Henderson, Webb, Roper and Aboites) and with the return of Chavez, we have the depth to compete with anyone.”

Bellflower will be led by standout pitcher Tony Amezcua, who has topped out at 93 mph, according to coach Keith Tripp.

Senior third baseman Josh Ancona is what Tripp calls “the backbone of our team, because he plays four positions,” starts his second year for Bellflower.

Third-year starter junior catcher Sergio Barboza was a first-team all-Suburban League member and should bring some leadership and production to this Buccaneers squad.

Junior shortstop Cesar Castillo and junior pitcher-outfielder Sebastian Frutos will also have to play key roles if the Bucs are sneak up on La Mirada and Mayfair.

“Our team is built on pitching, so if we stay solid on the mound, our chances for success are good,” Tripp said. “Our offense will be scrappy with some pop and we’ll look to do things to create holes in the field to hit through.”

Glenn will showcase senior pitcher-outfielder Juan Vera in an attempt to battle for a playoff spot.

Vera hit .398 with 33 hits and the lefty also went 5-3 on the mound with 2.79 ERA en route to his second consecutive first-team All-Suburban League appearance.

Senior outfielder Davon Foggie hit .386 with 22 hits, including three home runs and was first-team all-league.

Glenn coach David Cruz also expects sophomore shortstop John Lemos (.265, 18 hits) and junior infielder Juan Rojas (.293, 17 hits) to make major strides during this 2010 season.

Top newcomers for the Eagles include pitchers Joseph Guerra and Andy Aguirre.

“We know that La Mirada is the team to beat, but we have a very good pitcher in Juan Vera and a solid defense behind him,” Cruz said. “The guys have worked extremely hard this offseason and I’m looking forward to how it all plays out.”

After a very quick start to the 2009 season, Norwalk faltered down the stretch and lost much of its core to graduation.

But Norwalk returns its best player in senior pitcher Johnathan Villalpondo.

Villalpondo hit .344 with 21 hits and 15 RBIs, but he did his real damage on the mound with a 6-3 record, including four complete games and a 2.37 ERA.

Villalpondo also struck out 56 batters in 68 innings last year and he’ll need to come up huge if the Lancers are to compete for a playoff spot.

Artesia and Cerritos will likely bring up the bottom of the Suburban League, but many believe the Pioneers could play the role of spoiler this year.

Trinity League

St. John Bosco coach Moon Cordero has a lot of reason for optimism due in large part to a lineup that will feature seven returning starters on a Bosco team that competed well in a very tough Trinity League last year.

Junior shortstop Dante Flores hit .400 last year with 33 hits and 16 RBIs, was all-league and in two years will play for the University of San Diego.

Junior pitchers Koby Gauna and David Meza will head the Braves rotation.

Gauna ( 3-5, 3.16 ERA) and Meza (0-2, 6.26 ERA) pitched better than their numbers would indicate and have made sizable improvements.

“Although we are heavy on juniors, we are an experienced team that can play defense and hit for average and power,” Cordero said. “We have a deep bench and are confident Gauna will be tough. If we get good pitching from Rene Medina and David Meza, we will be tough to beat.”

Alpha League

Co-Alpha League champion Downey-Calvary Chapel will be led by Spencer Troutman, who did everything for the Grizzlies.

Troutman was 8-1 on the mound with a 1.12 ERA and struck out 86 batters in just 56 innings last year.

He also hit .468 with 38 hits and 25 RBIs and a .608 slugging percentage en route to being named to the first team of the Dream Team.

Senior pitcher-outfielder Alex Castro is what Grizzlies coach Steve Jahnkow a key newcomer that had to play junior varsity last year because of transfer restrictions.

“We only lost two players to graduation, so with the return of seven seniors and the addition of new players, it brings a depth to our team that we didn’t have last year,” Jahnkow said. “Our starting pitching and experienced offense will be our strength, and if we improve defensively, we can improve on our league championship run last year.”

Sunset League

New-look Los Alamitos is a mystery to start this year after the loss of ace Beau Wright and the departure of one of the most respected coaches in the area, Mark Clabough.

Senior pitchers Kyle Ferramola, John Heacock, Greg Cole, Jacob Calderon and Jared Cortez will all need to have big year’s if Los Alamitos is able to compete for a playoff spot, let alone hang with Sunset League powerhouse Edison.

Seniors Brad Hartong, Nicholas Dimatteo and freshman shortstop Frankie Padulo will all need to contribute for new coach Aaron Moore.

Moore won 10 Big-8 and Ivy League titles in 14 years at Riverside Poly, where he sent 50-plus players to either Division I school’s or were signed to professional contracts.

Moore also led his former team to four CIF title games.

“We are very inexperienced with our catcher, Brad Hartong (.303, 20 hits, 15 RBIs) being the only player with significant varsity experience,” Moore said. “Ferramola and Heacock will have to eat up a lot of innings on the mound, but our big question is if we can get offensive production. I can guarantee you, however, whether we’re up 17 runs or down, our kids will play hard throughout and will continue to get better daily.”

Santa Fe League

St. Anthony will be led by pitcher-outfielder Jeff Curran.

Curran had a phenomenal junior year, hitting .509, with 28 hits and 19 RBIs. He also went 7-3 on the mound with a 2.61 ERA and 97 strikeouts.

Valley Christian looks to improve on a 9-17-1 record and a last-place finish from a year ago, but will need to find someone to replace ace, Chase DeJong, who transferred over to Wilson and the loss of its two best hitters, Brett Struiksma and Kyle Cameron to graduation.

DeJong had 45 more strikeouts than the next closest Crusaders pitcher, but with the arrival of former Long Beach Armada player-coach Sean Buller, help is on the way.

Senior Brad Vandergrift hit .348 last year, but is the only Crusader that put up significant offensive numbers.

Dillon Agra was 1-2 with a 2.76 ERA last season, but will need to improve greatly if Valley Christian will be a factor.

Pitchers Michael Fasnacht, Ryan Fronke, Clay Garris, David Hefley, Sam Rafaele and Vandergrift will all need to eat up innings for Buller.

Campbell Hall, Whittier Christian and Montclair Prep look to be the three teams the Crusaders are chasing for a playoff spot.

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